Heat-insulating covering.



c. lR. MANVILLE.

HEAT INSULATING COVERING.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 8. 1914.

1,218,679. l l'Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

I c) 2 C I UNITED sTATEs PATNT cHAELEs E. MANVILLE, oF MILWAUKEE, WIsCoNsIN, AssIeNoE To H. W. ,JoIINs- IvIANvILLE coMPANY, oF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A coEPoEATIoN oE NEW YORK.

HEAT-INSULATING covEEING.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

Application led January 8, 1914. Serial No. 810,976.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. MAN- `VILLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Milwaukee, in the county -of vMilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heat-Insulating Coverings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,

reference being had tothe accompanying. drawings, and to the letters of reference used as a filler, heat-insulating lining or casing, or for covering pipes, conduits, or receptacles having heated or cold surfaces, for insulating purposes.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a covering having suitable air spaces or air cells, and which is light in proportion to its bulk and composed of .material all .of the elements of which are durable and in a large degree free from liability to premature decomposition or deterioration" and alsofree from objectionable odors when in a heated condition or in use, and none of the elements of which contains saltor other material having. a tendency to corrode or injuriously affect pipes or any metallicV receptacle or surface, adapted to form a heat-insulating covering for pipes, conduits, or other receptacles,- -or devlces having heated or cold surfaces.

Other and further objects of the inven' tion will appear from an examination ef the -following description andclaims fand from an inspection of the accompanying drawings` which are made a part of this application.

`The invention consists in the features,

4.combinations of elements, and details of construction herein describedand claimed.

is a plan view of a mass of non-conducting or insulating material suitable for thepurposes of my invention;

Fig. 2, a perspective view of a plurality of sheets or layers of heat-insulating maf terial madejn accordance with my invention, but of exaggerated proportions;

Fig. 3, an enlarged detail view in section, showin-g a Aplurality of layers or laps formed of a sheet or sheets such as those shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a transverse sectional view of a cylindrical covering or casing formed of a sheet such as that shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5, a transverse sectional vieW of a pipe or receptacle covered by non-conducting or heat-insulating material, such as that shownin Fig. 1; and

. Fig. 6, a view in perspective of a block of non-conducting or heat-insulating material, made in accordance with my invention', and adapted to be used for forming a covering, lining or other structure for insulating purposes.

In making a non-conducting or heat-insulating composition or` compound, and a` covering or heat insulator ,for pipes, conduits, or other receptacles, or rfor hot or cold surfaces, 1n accordance with my 1nvent1on and improvements, I provide av suitable-l quantity of thoroughly cured corn-cobs a and a quantity of fibrous'material, which, in the best "form, of my invention as herein described, consists ofiibrous asbestos b, and these substances are intermixed in suitable proportions. (See Fig. 1.)

The corn-cobs are cut, ground, crushed, or disintegrated in any ordinary or well known manner, so as to constitute a fragmental or granular substance, the particles of which althoughof unequal sizes are,.by preference, usually of such dimensions as to enable them to pass through a screen of about one-quarterA inch mesh. The sizes of the particles may of. course be varied in practice as de-y sired. The grains or particles of corn-cobs are in part rigid, or' non-yielding, and in part flexible, and are somewhat porous." They thus constitute a substanc e,the comparatively flexible parts of Whlch are adapt# mixture adapted to be used for heat insulation either with or Without a binder composed of starch, tapioca, or other suitable adhesive or binding agent.

1 The ground, crushed or disintegrated corn-cobs are placed in a suitable receptacle, which may consist of an ordinary beating engine of the kind used for beating rags or fiber in preparing them for vuse in the making of fabric or paper or for other purposes, and a suitable quantity of fibrous materiah such as fibrous asbestos-Which has been previously prepared by being shredded, ground or crushed, or otherwise reduced to a suitable fibrous, shredded condition-is introduced and intermiXed with the ground corn-cobs or granular material. A suflicient quantity of water is added to the above elements to make a wet mass or pulp and the entire mass is thoroughly beaten to a pulp similar to that commonly used in the manufacture of paper. A binder, consisting of or comprising a suitable quantity of starch, tapioca, or other suitable binder or adhesive, may be, and in practice usually is, intermixed with the ground corn-cobs and fibrous material. The grains or particles of the co'rn-cobs contained in the pulp thus formed are, as already suggested, in part comparatively nonyielding and in part flexible, and are of a porous character. The

asbestos or fibrous material, therefore, se-` curely adheres to the surface of the particles of ground corn-cobs, so as to form a mixture or cohering mass, the particles of corn-cob Vbeing embedded in and entirely covered by the asbestos or fibrous material, all of the elements being adapted to cohere when formed into a finished homogeneous body,

sheet, block, covering, or other structure..

A composition or heat-insulating material is thus provided which is adapted for use in the mass in plastic form, or to be made up and used in the form of a sheet or sheets or layers which may b'e laid together in flat form or Wrapped or folded to form superposed layers of sheet material, or otherwise used for heat-insulating purposes.

In making a sheet or sheets, or a covering consisting of a sheet or sheets composed of the compound or material thus provided, the material above described, While in th'e form of a wet pulp, is passed to the usual Web-forming means, which maybe of the kind ordinarily used in making paper, and sent over the rolls of a paper machine,-` which of courseincludes the usual heated drying rolls. Such a machine may be of any'ordinary and well known type, and it is therefore deemed unnecessary to vdescribe or .illustra-te the same herein. The heat-insulating material is thus formed into a sheet having grains or particles of ground corncob embedded therein and all entirely covered by the fibrous material or asbestos Which forms the entire outer surface portion of the sheet. F ibrous asbestos is adapted to form a fire-proof protecting covering for the granular material or particles of ground fibrous material or asbestos are somewhatV looselylunited so as to form a sheet of somewhat soft and loose texture which contains a multiplicityfof small air spaces or air cells c between the particles of material of which the sheet is formed. The comparatively non-yielding larger particles of corncob andthe protrusions or relatively thick portions of the sheet produced thereby, as above suggested, are adapted to maintain the adjacent surface portions or layers of' the sheet or of a covering or structure comprising a plurahty of layers, sheetsor plles, 1n sufliclently loose contact or so spaced Vapart as to provide air spaces or air cells e therebetween for adding to the heat-insulating qualities. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) Y

YVhen a sheet or sheets of the material, such as that shown in F ig.` 2, and having rough or uneven surfaces as described, is Wrapped or arranged to form a covering comprising a plurality of layers or-thicknesses, as indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, or arranged to form superposed layers` in fiat forln, in the form of a slab 'or other desired construction, kthe resultant structure or covering is very light in proportion to its bulk, and, as suggested, has airspaces or air cellsy between and separated bythe laps throughout the structure, and constitutes a very economical and efiicientnon-conducting or heat-insulating covering or material which will not swell or rot-or produce a bad odor when it becomes damp, while in contact with a hot surface, or while in use in yconnection with yeither hot 'or cold surfaces, for heatinsulating purposes. In making a pipe covering, such as indicated in Figi 4, a sheet of thematerial above described is wound,'-up'on a mandrel, or otherwise wrapped, foldedA or laid so as to provide a structure or covering comprisingl su- `perposed layers of heat-insulating material 'ture located between said staples or securing means, at the point indicated by the broken line in Fig. 4, so as to split the structure or cover longitudinally' throughout its entire length, a circumferentially flexible, 1ongitudinally split covering is produced,

which is adapted to be opened so as to admitl a pipe, conduit, or other article Z. (See FiOf. 1.) The longitudinal marginal portions of the covering, thus adapted to be separated, may readily be bent again to normal position around the pipe so as to form a complete covering entirely surrounding the same. The marginal projecting portions g of the outer layer or canvas portion f are adapted to be secured in position to overlap and securely hold or draw the marginal portions of the covering or insulating structure together so as to completelyencircle and cover a pipe or other receptacle.

The materialcomposed of or comprising intermixed ground corn-cob and fibrous asbestos, Without being saturated or reduced to a wet pulp, is adapted to be used as a filler for packing around pipes, conduits or other receptacles, as indicated in Fig. 5, whereithe compound or material is shown packed around a pipe m, and between suclr pipe and an outer inclosingv Wall or casing portion n, which may be of any suitable material.

The ground corn-cob and asbestos or fibrous material may be intermiXed and satisfactorily used in proportions which may vary to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of my invention.

A composition or mixture consisting of one part fibrous asbestos or fibrous material and three parts of ground or crushed, disintegrated, cured corn-cob, by weight, producesfa very desirable compound or composition which has been found in practice to be suitable and satisfactory for use in dry form as aller for packing aroundsteam pipes and other conduits or receptacles having hot or cold surfaces, for insulating purposes. Such a compound-is also well adapted for use-with a suiiicient quantity of wathe consistency of the wet paper pulp used 'f in paper making,sucl1 pulp being made into sheets, blocks, or strips or a covering comprising a plurality of layers, or other structure, for insulating purposes, as already described. f

The binder may consist of 75 pounds of starch or 60 pounds of tapioca to be added to a mass of the intermixed corn-cob and fibrous material weighing 2,000 pounds, or thereabout, although this proportion of these elements may be varied to aconsiderable eX- tent Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

.The composition in plastic form, or with only enough liquid contained therein to render the composition of the consistency of a paste or plaster, and either with lor without a binder, is suitable for use as a plaster or cement to be applied in any manner, or to be molded or otherwise made into blocks, sheets, or strips, to form a heat-insulating covering or filler, for the insulation of both hot and cold surfaces. Y

To the dry or cured corn-cob and fibrous material or asbestos intel-mixed in the abovey proportions, or in other suitable proportions such as may be found desirable in practice, may be added a sufficient quantity of water and a filler of suitable material o, such as clay or the like, thus rendering the composition plastic. In this plastic condition, the composition is adapted'to be used as a cement or plaster, or to be molded or otherwise formed into blocks, strips or sheets to form a heat-insulating covering, or a filler, for the insulation of bothv hot and cold surfaces. (See Fig. G.)

A composition consisting of or comprising ground cured corn-cob and asbestos, either with or without a binder -of' starch, tapioca, or other adhesive, is vnot unduly' liable to decompose or s well when subjected to heat and dampness or changes of temperature, and is free from disagreeable odors. It contains no animal matter and no salt or other'similar material which in itself laminated or sheet form, or packed into compartments prepared for it. or used in any of the forms above suggested, is adapted to be, as it often is in practice. sul'riected to more or less pressure and at the same time to dampness, or alternately saturated or dampened and dried, while subjected to variations in temperature with or without compression. The compression or pressure may result from confining or packing the material withina limited space er inclosure or from the weight of the material o'r other conditions or causes, and the degree of dampness or saturation and of compression may vary or be reduced or removed, for instance, by changes in temperature. The herein described material will maintain its efficiency under these varying conditions, and one of the principal objects of this invention is to enable this to be accomplished. The granulated corn-cob, even though subjected to pressure when wet, will' not be reduced in bulk appreciably or to an extent which would materially lessen its bulk when dry, or cause it to settle or become shrunken l or loose after having been alternately saturated and dried. 0n the contrary, the bulky corn-cob granules, even when saturated with moisture and compressed, retain their shape and size almost unchanged, and maintain the material as a whole practically undiminished in volume or bulk, so that the .granules and the air cells or'pockets are of practically normal size vthroughout the structure, although the/material may have been repeatedly moistened and dried.

I claim:

1. A new article of manufacture of the class described,I comprising a sheet formed of a mixture containing brous asbestos and particles of corn-cob embedded in and in adhesive engagement with the fibrous asbes tos.

2. A new article of manufacture of the class described, consisting of a sheet of heat insulating material comprising in its conadhesive -engagement with the particles of particles of corn-cobare embedded formingA protruding sheet portions which project outward 'with respect to the surface portions of the sheet intermediate, the particles of corncob.

. 5.' A new article of manufacture of the class described, consisting of superposed layers of heat-insulating material having air spaces therebetween, said material vcomprising fibrous material and non-yielding particles of corn-cob, said particles of corncob being embedded in and entirely covered by the fibrous material but causing surface' elevations so as to form said air spaces between the layers. l

6. A new article of manufacture of the class described, comprising superposed layers of heat-insulating sheet material having air spaces therebetween, said material comprising fibrous asbestosl and particles of corn-cob, the particles of corn-cob. being embedded in and covered by the asbestos, but causing surface elevations so as to form said air spaces between the layers.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 6th day of January, A. D'. 1914.

CHARLES R. MANVILLE.

Witnesses FRANK A. I-IEADON, 'IHoMAs T. LYMAN. 

